Films That Click (OSCAR EDITION): Brooklyn, Dallas Buyer's Club, Little Miss Sunshine

It's the Oscars...again. 

You know, despite hating the Oscars, I can't seem to stop talking about them. I did an entire blog last year on the Academy, but that didn't seem to satiate me. I think it stems from this frustration that at one point I really liked the Oscars. It was an outlet to discover great films in a time when I was starting to really get into movies. Maybe I am just longing for the days when I could happen upon an amazing movie just by glancing at the nomination list. 

So as a way to satiate that nostalgia, I am going to review three films that I loved that I discovered through watching the Academy Awards. To keep things interesting, I am going to ignore films that won Best Picture. Sound good? Well it doesn't matter doesn't it, I am going to continue with the reviews anyway:

Brooklyn

I can tell you right now that there was nothing compelling me to watch this movie back in the day when it was nominated. I watched it more out of completion sake since at the time I had a mission where I watched every film nominated for Best Picture. Of course, I failed that mission when I refused to watch the overabundance of poorly aged 1930s films. And honestly, the only great film that I discovered through this experiment was Brooklyn, so what good did that whole endeavor do? I guess it did give me one of best romance films I've ever seen. 

When seeing the poster of Brooklyn, one might easily think it is one of the most generic period dramas ever. I remember going into Brooklyn with that expectation in mind. I felt bored and unimpressed. But then, by the ten minute mark, I was wrapped in my blankets completely absorbed, so what makes this 'generic period drama' so special. 

Well frankly, there is nothing special about this film. It really is a generic period drama, but it is a well written, well acted, and well made generic period drama. 

There is more going on than the bare minimum expected from this type of movie. A good example is the romance which some has described as very "Nicholas Sparks." I myself considered this movie as "Nicholas Sparks but good" at one point. But upon a rewatch, even that more positive moniker is not accurate. 

Unlike a Nicholas Sparks affair, the romance feels more like a complimentary aspect that merely communicates the main character's, Eilis, growth during her coming of age. It's not the only part of her character which avoids the feminist landmine of making a female character whose only worth is who she ends up with. 

This film makes a point to develop Eilis's character before introducing any romance elements as evident by the fact that the main love interest doesn't get introduce until half an hour into the film. It gives time to-and this is going sound groundbreaking-like the character. So when she meets a boy, you are excited not solely because you're a lonely good-for-nothing living vicariously through a pretty Irish girl. You are excited because you like the character, and you want her to be happy. 

To reiterate, there is more going on than just a love story. There are a handful of coming of age elements that Eilis explores and overcomes. She endures homesickness. She learns to gain confidence in herself. Later, she must overcome the soul sucking ordeal of returning to a small town you used to live in. It's not complicated, but it isn't trying to be. It's a cozy blanket that's comfy and sweet, and I can't think of a comfort film that is as enjoyable as this one. 

Plus, this film is really funny. Characters are quirky with snappy dialogue but not to the point where it feels like a sitcom. There are some situations that I was pleasantly surprised to see in this film. I doubt you can find a Nicholas Sparks story where the pretty delicate female lead is shooting excrements from both ends or contemplating leaving her love interest because he is an Italian that stereotypically likes baseball. Eilis isn't this perfect Disney princess. She is a girl that will leave a party with her love interest not because she is interested in him but because she wants to ditch a girl she finds annoying. 

Unfortunately, the film itself isn't perfect either. There is a sex scene halfway in that triggered my asexualness for how contrived it is. The second half, while decent in its own way, may be underwhelming for a lot of people since it takes a turn from what was great about the first half. It's certainly a film not for everyone in the same way bread is not for people with a glucose intolerance. However, it doesn't mean the bread is bad. It is what it is. 

This is one of my favorite romance/comfort films. And after this, I think I want to go as far as consider it one of my favorite movies 'period.' If you haven't seen it, give it a watch and bring your favorite blanket. 

Dallas Buyers Club

An unexpected consequence I didn't really take into account when doing these reviews was that my opinion would change for the worse. This is not like Films That Didn't Click where there is an expectation and even a hope that my opinion would change. This was supposed to be a fun relaxing dive into films I really like. Now, I am back to the land of venturing into films that make me a little miserable. 

I feel context then is important for exploring why the sudden change of heart with this film. The year is 2014. And to put it nicely, I wasn't privy to a lot of the world's problems in the way I am now. I wouldn't say my opinion was unrefined, but it was certainly more bias to these types of dramatic films. Films that have good acting, blunt social commentary, and a grimy atmosphere. 

However, things have changed that. We live in a more trans accepting world. And more importantly, we live in a COVID-19 world. Both of those don't reflect too well with Dallas Buyers Club. 

But first, I want to established that there is some good in this film. In fact, it reminded me of Green Book in that it is a film that has good in it but is marred by the reputation of being Oscar nominated thus facing more scrutiny. I will say that this film is about as authentically Texan as you can get. As a Texan myself who has worked in rodeos and conservative/liberal circles, this film really captures the cadence and personality of conservative Texans and LGBT Texans. It is a niche quality, but it is something I can't help but respect. I really like the performances of the two leads. Matthew McConaughey, while not giving an authentic performance, gives a classical Hollywood vibe where he is engaging in spite of that. As for Jared Leto, I think he was fantastic, controversially. Yeah, I know he is an absolute dick, and I understand the opportunity lost in not casting an actual trans actor. However, I don't think that should reflect the performance on screen. For what it's worth, I think Jared Leto did a solid job playing as Rayon. He gives his character a layer of dignity that I really appreciate. For a trans character that ticks almost every stereotype, Rayon feels like a person and is instantly likeable. You wouldn't have that reaction in a lesser acting performance. 

However, that's were my unqualified praise ends. Things are going to be muddied from here on out. 

Let's talk about historical accuracy. Now, my rule when it comes to historical accuracy is that historical accuracy is not a big deal if the inaccurate depiction makes for a better story. Mozart wasn't actually a clown like he was in Amadeus, but that doesn't matter. It suits the story. 

Dallas Buyers Club is a little hit and miss. The two main contentions is the Matthew McConaughey's character and the medical facts implied throughout the film. Ron Woodroof by some accounts wasn't a bigot and possibly bisexual, a far cry from the movie depiction. However, would the film be better if Woodroof, the movie character, wasn't a bigot? I don't think so. It wouldn't give a central character any sense of growth through the movie. A more accurate depiction of the character would be quite boring as it would lack the essential arc seen in almost all story characters. 

The medical facts, on the other hand, are more unforgivable. While I admire the attempt to criticize our poor healthcare system, going the route of being borderline conspiracy theory while pushing medication that were considered ineffective and more dangerous isn't good for a story like this. And in a COVID-19 world whose problems have been exacerbated by conspiracy theories and pushing bad medical information, it makes it harder to be sympathetic to Ron Woodroof's plight. This isn't to say that the FDA was this perfect agency, but the reality is far more interesting. 

It's sort of the final nail on the coffin that reading the references of the Dallas Buyers Club Wikipedia page was more enjoyable than the movie itself. While I still like certain aspects that I like all those years ago, even those qualities are tainted by things I am privy to now. It's a film that is well meaning but frustrating. 

So, a film that clicked is now a film is now a 3/5 film that I really have no interest in seeing again. Great...glad this series is being as fun and full of unadulterated praise as I hoped.

. 

Little Miss Sunshine

Despite being one of my favorite movies, I've only seen this movie one time. I have a lot of movies like this. And normally, I will rewatch the movie for a second time and then hit myself wondering why I don't rewatch this movie more frequently. 

To be fair, part of why I was hesitant to return to this movie was because this movie gets hella dark. Oh yeah, this movie really exemplifies the dark in dark comedy. Despite being the more intentionally funny movies out of these three, it is easily the most unrelentingly upsetting. This isn't a black comedy. It is vantablack. It is about as black as you can get. 

That being said, it is still very funny. In fact, it is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Usually, dark comedies come off as straight faced dramas with occasional jokes to keep bored spouses awake. I'm looking at you Skeleton Twins. However, this is one of the few dark comedies where it feels like a comedy. It is just a fucked up comedy. 

The cast really reinforces this. This is a really strong comedic cast, and it is great because each actor gives a completely different vibe. You get this sense because each actor comes from completely different types of movies or will go on to do completely different types of movies. You got Alan Arkin's bluntness. You got Steve Carell's wry sarcasm. You got Paul Dano and Toni Collette being...just generally awesome. There are so many others, and they play so well together. 

I was also surprise how much heart this movie has. I forgot how uplifting this movie can be despite having a man broken to the point of attempting suicide, one of the most visceral breakdowns in cinematic history, and a disgusting child beauty pageant (which may be worse than suicide). It's a movie that empowers those who have faced failure, rejection, and a lack of self-worth. It shows things like beauty pageants and professional success are nothing but a shallow man's game. In the end, authenticity and being true to yourself is where your power lies. This is really shown with Richard's character (Greg Kinnear). He starts out as one of the biggest pieces of shit but ends up growing the most becoming really sympathetic and likeable. 

Also, there is the music. Now, I am not one to lose my mind over music in movies, but the soundtrack to this film is incredible. One of the best and a total package. There is nothing more to say. Just watch the damn movie. 

Pokémon Legends: Arceus | Review

In 2017, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out. To put it lightly, people liked it. 

And to put it lightly, companies realized that people liked it after looking at some sales figures and proceed to rip the shit out of it. And now, we have Pokémon taking a stab at it. 

Now, it is safe to say that the fine folks at Game Freak are too lazy to even rip off other games for their iconic franchise, so it was a big surprise when Pokémon Legends: Arceus was revealed. I know this was the first Pokémon game in a while that I was somewhat interested in. It was at least more interesting than the last few Pokémon games that more and more highlight just how lazy and factory designed the games have become. Will this game be the best game since Black and White 2 or will it be a disappointing layer of blandness? The answer is a bit of the former, mostly the latter, but I am getting ahead of myself. 

And so let's begin this review where I complain about what's different, complain about what's the same, and doing all of that while right clicking to add a tilde whenever I say Pokémon. 

The Inevitable Breath of the Wild Comparisons  

Before I continue, I think it is important to disclose a few personal biases. Everyone plays games for a reason, and we all have aspects that we like more than others. For example, I like stories with a lot of characterization. I like games with focus that don't feel repetitive. I like exploration but only if there is a lot to discover in that exploration. I like collectables but fun collectables. 

For these reasons, it is why despite Breath of the Wild being considered by many as one of the best 3D Zelda games, it is among my least favorite for me. Its story is unintrusive but ultimately uninteresting. The collectables are constant and seem to be this repetitive state of go here, complete minor task or mini-dungeon, get Korak Seed or Spirit Orb. Aside from the organic exploration, there is not much I find enjoyable in this Zelda. The things I like in Zelda such as the dungeons and items are deemphasized in favor for exploration, and it is why I am less partial towards it. 

Arceus does pretty much the same thing, amplifying one aspect of the franchise and deemphasizing others. I feel a lot of the enjoyment then is dependent on how you answer these questions: Do you like catching Pokémon? Do you like discovering new Pokémon and seeing what a particular region has to offer? 

If you said yes to those two questions, congratulations. Game Freak has released possibly the best Pokémon game to date. Catching Pokémon has never been better and are full of quality of life improvements, correcting even things that were so standard in Pokémon that I just assume they were going to be in this game. Pokeballs click after single jump instead of three like in previous games. You don't have to enter battle with most Pokémon in order to catch them. The encounter jingle that plays before a battle is far shorter than most iterations. 

These may seem like minor things. But with how much time you will spend on throwing Pokeballs and entering battles, these little time saves add up.  

The charm of exploring a region and discovering new Pokémon is also better than ever. This sensation is more visceral from running around and finding monsters. It's more than simply seeing a Pokémon now. It is the threat of getting spotted. It is the excitement when the Pokémon gets hostile and attacks you. It's the amusement of seeing a Pokémon meander around when it thinks no one is watching. For the first time, the Pokémon games have a lived in quality. It is more immersive than it was in previous games. 

However, and this is a big however, it still doesn't quite match the polish of Breath of the Wild, and it starts with the controls. The button mapping is atrocious made worse by the fact you can't remap buttons to your liking unless you change them in the Switch system settings. Some of it makes sense. You got your obvious A button for confirming actions and talking to NPCS. You have a dodge roll. You have the triggers and bumpers to aim and cycle through items. All of that is fine. Where it falls apart is when you're running and crouching, accessing menus, and riding animals. 

I don't know why there is a dedicated run button as your speed makes little difference in the gameplay mechanics. The only time you need to walk slowly is when you crouch, so a run button feels pointless. You either need to crouch walk or run. The game should automatically have the character running upon pushing the stick all the way forward. This would have opened up a face button which could (I don't know) include a jump button. I don't know how many awkward moments I had where I was running away from a hostile Pokémon or climbing a small ledge only to crouch. It's stupid. 

Menus are a mess as well which tangentially makes the animal riding worse. For some reason, they decided to put the menus on the D-Pad and the animal summoning on the start button. It is really cumbersome. For one thing, in order to do any kind of selection, such as switching animal buddies, you have to move your finger from the control stick to the D-pad. And since most of these executions will be happening while you're running, the D-pad becomes a major issue. This makes switching animal buddies annoying since certain areas requires using the d-pad to switch animals back and forth. What's frustrating is that they almost had a good system to switch animals. Animals can also be switch with contextual prompts. For example, jumping into the air will allow an automatic switch to your Braviary. Sometimes, it will even switch back to the proper animal after leaving certain contexts like going from swimming to running on land. However, they don't always do this. For example, while running to climbing shows a button prompt, going from climbing to running doesn't, leaving me to fiddle with the D-pad. In the same way how little improvements exponentially saves time over a course of a thirty hour playthrough, these little annoyances are exacerbated the more you play. 

Secondly, it is bothersome that the pause menu isn't simply accessed via the start button which throws years of muscle memory out of whack. Again, this is a simple matter of allowing players to rebind controls. Leave it to Pokémon to ignore implementing no brainer solutions which I suppose segways into...

The Inevitable Pokémon Fuck-Ups

Remember when you were a kid or teenager, and you suddenly felt a spontaneous surge of productivity and responsibility? So, you think to yourself "I am going to clean my room" or "I'm gonna wash some dishes." Then, as you're about to do that very thing, your mom or dad come by and viciously chastise you for not doing chores and all enthusiasm is sucked out of you. That's Arceus in a nutshell for me. 

I almost forgot why I stopped playing Pokémon five years ago, but this game surely likes to remind me. It starts with the story which is beyond terrible. I know Pokémon games aren't known for having good writing, but they at least have a Saturday morning cartoon quality. Games like Gales of Darkness even tried to do some things that were kind of interesting. But here, they didn't even try. It is the most half bake story you can imagine made for the sole purpose of contextualizing the game mechanics. It doesn't matter if it makes sense or is interesting. You need a menu and a map, so the story turns into a Isakai where you teleported to the past to play the shitty games that suck ass, and you are given an Arceus branded iPad along with it. You have to have an excuse to catch Pokémon, so it is established that they need a Pokémon catcher because they are bad at it. Let's ignore the fact that they can easily create amazing devices to catch Pokémon, but they don't have the necessary skills like walking quietly and throwing a tennis ball. 

It feels worse than an NES story, because at least in games like Mario or Metroid they don't waste anytime contextualizing the little bits of gameplay. It's like "Samus can turn into a ball because she has Chozo DNA." That's it. If the writers of Pokémon Arceus wrote the original Metroid, the instruction manual would be as long as a Dickens novel. 

So in short, story is completely needless and can be skipped. Whatever that's fine. What can't be skipped is the combat, so that better be good. So, how does Arceus handle the iconic battle system of Pokémon? 

Well, I'll answer that question with a question: Do you like battling and the easy to learn hard to master nature of the combat mechanics? Do you like team building and min maxing stats? Do you like the additional complexities and depth that have been added over the near three decades this series has been around like abilities, double battles, and the many super form mechanics like mega evolutions? 

It the answer to those questions is yes, then this one will leave a lot to be desired. 

Now, to be fair, there is more of an effort than I would have expected from Game Freak. There is at least an attempt to be more challenging. Pokémon hit harder. The Alpha Pokémon are interesting challenges. And, the new priority system throws a wrench into how you use attacks. 

However, the game is still pretty easy. Trainers mostly carry one to two Pokémon meaning you can tank most battles with the attrition of bringing in six. 

The game also has some holes in the plumbing that need to be addressed. While I like the new priority system, it is a little unfair that Pokémon can attack as soon as you throw a ball out. It makes pivoting a less effective strategy. And since pivoting is pretty much the only thing that makes single battles engaging, it was frustrating that the priority system mars that. 

It makes me wonder why Arceus didn't go the route of pure double battling like the Orre region games, because these systems benefit from double battles. The overworld allows multiple Pokémon to jump you, so you should be allowed to throw an extra Pokémon. The priority system would have benefited with the extra complexity of double battles and also allow for more pivoting strategies. You would think this is a no-brainer, but this is Game Freak we are talking about. 

EXP is distributed after battles instead of after every Pokémon KO meaning fainted Pokémon don't gain essential EXP despite being the most useful during battle which is kind of tedious. This means the occasional grind of having to go out in the overworld. I guess this brings up the Pokedex which I'm personally not a big fan of. I'm not a fan of having to KO and catch duplicates of Pokémon just to fill out a Pokedex. It's one thing if this system was just a relaxing checklist you have to do, but it becomes a problem when the game forces you to complete some of it in order to continue the game. It is the parent chastising you to do chores in your wave of productivity. It would be nice if there was a more substantial award for completing a Pokedex entry but like the MMO style side quests, you barely get anything. 

Then there are the kaiju battles which really leave a lot to be desired. I know some people have described Jedi Fallen Order as baby's first Dark Souls, but this game takes that title with fucking ease. The move sets are slow and predictable. You will be embarrassed if you died more than once per fight. 

To its credit, the fights do try to throw wrenches at you. One fight has a dangerous AOE attack that you have to disrupt before it activates. Another forces you to keep moving which is kind of nice albeit a little tedious. 

I feel like I keep saying a bunch of variations of "try" in this review and pointing out how at least Game Freak are putting more effort than usual. I don't know why I am being lenient with this game. Lord knows I hate when gamers are so lenient to games because of the franchises they're tied to, and here I am doing the same. Despite constantly saying harsh things about Pokémon and Game Freak, here I am trying to qualifying the gameplay with "at least they tried." I guess that is one of the side effects for investing $60 to a game that you were anticipating that was ultimately underwhelming...

 

Conclusion

I have heard many people defend this game saying it is a proof of concept. Saying "imagine if there is a Arceus sequel that improves on the formula the way Pokémon Emerald or Black & White 2 did for the mainline games?" And that's a great thought, but I am not reviewing this hypothetical Pokémon game, I am reviewing Pokémon Arceus. And honestly, this one left a lot to be desired. It's one thing to say that certain problems are mere stumbles in a debut title. It's another thing to dismiss other problems that were solved among Arceus' contemporaries. Excessive cutscenes, rigid controls, and a numbing story stand out more for me than experimental additions to the combat, the kaiju boss battles, and the checklist Pokedex entries; it definitely stands out more than some the major qualities like the atmosphere, the handful of quality of life adjustments, and the exploration. 

The way I see it. Pokémon is competing with a romhacking scene that is more ambitious, creative, and interesting. For what it's worth, it is certainly a noble step forward towards matching that, but there is still a lot of work to be done.